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News$700k worth of savings tips from the government
$700k worth of savings tips from the government

$700k worth of savings tips from the government

Tags: Energy Information
Last updated by Someone on

Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you would have noticed all the talk about energy prices. If you have been off the grid (pun intended), there’s no hiding from your energy bill, which will find you eventually. 

And so will the Federal Government’s latest $700,000 ad campaign!

Launched this month, the Powering Forward Campaign reportedly cost tax-payers $300,000 for 60 seconds of airtime during the AFL & NRL Grand Finals, and as much as $700,000 in fees to a Melbourne ad agency.

There's some useful information buried in there, but it's hidden behind propaganda pushing the government's energy policy credentials.

What do you think of the campaign?

Our take? The website contains some useful info for people wanting to save on power bills, for example it links to the Energy Made Easy comparison site and the Victorian Switchon site to compare offers.

It also contains energy efficiency tips for households, which can be handy.

But all that useful stuff is buried behind the silly “powering forward” slogan and some bumph about the Government’s Snowy Hydro 2.0 and gas reservation policies.

They’re important, but we’d like to see the moneysaving info up front and centre!

Here’s something else you can do to save.

A couple of months back, the Fiftyup Club started our Power-Up Campaign,  which now boasts a staggering 50,000 registrations nationally That tells us that you do want to do something about energy prices even if it’s just to send a message to power companies that enough is enough.

While Australia may rank second in the world for quality-of-life, we rate first in the world for the highest energy prices. Data from the Carbon + Energy Markets' MarkIntell service says we’re ahead of Germany, Denmark and Italy with 4 Australian states in the top ten (click here to see the list).

This despite Australia having every energy resource available in the world including coal, wind, solar, nuclear and sea-water hydro power.

What can you do? It’s as easy as picking up the phone, calling your energy retailer and asking for a better deal. Don’t take no for an answer. The energy market has never been so competitive and you can get results, with many members reporting savings in the hundreds of dollars.

Click here to see the latest Fiftyup Club energy offers, extended for a limited time only


 

 

Originally posted on .

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Peter
Peter from NSW commented:

2GB drought appeal. Online to, Rotary Club of Sydney, BSB 062438 A/C 10211156 Drought Appeal. Or cheque to Rotary Club of Sydney. Send to 2GB GPO Box 4290 Sydney NSW 2001. If 60,000 members give $10 each, can you imagine how much hay and water that could buy. How many groceries that could be bought for struggling families. I,m up for $100 & I,m on aged pension. Lets make it happen. 

Someone
Someone from NSW replied to Peter:

Thanks Peter. I agree about the $10 which even the least well off should be able to manage. Never think what you can afford does not count. Instead of thinking of ones self as 'one IN a million' consider yourself 'one OF a million'. 

Carol
Carol from QLD commented:

Sucked me in with an online quote of $317, then I had to call them to verify, amazing, quote jumped up to $585, it's just a ploy to get you on the phone, MB. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Have already asked how to donate to farmers as sugested by Peter. Now how many of the thousands of reasonably well of who over the last couple of months have asked others for all sorts of discounts even insurance on overseas travel ...poor darlings, will show the same amount of interest when it comes to them being asked for something.These farmers have very real, very basic needs, so come on ,show your interest,be as enthusiastic about helping those truely in need as you are when asking for yourself. 

Someone
Someone from VIC commented:

Take your whinge elsewhere! If you are so concerned about the farmer's plight, how about you cancel your internet deal and hand over that money to the appeal? Nah, didn't think so! 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Well My Internet deal with iinett costs $20 per month Guess you think it is a considerable sum because you can afford a considerable sum for your internet. Yes in about 10 hours time I will make my donation at the commonwealth bank in Katoomba.As with the 10 items of food I donate each fortnight to our local food bin there will be no need to cancel anything I budget my pension carefully and landlord elec . food etc along with a little for those less fortunate, is all included in my calculations. Some how I suspect my life has been a little different to yours, giving me an indepth knowledge of the despair that is so oft hidden within the community until you find out someone has commited suicide. 

Someone
Someone from VIC commented:

Ah, yes, suicide - the coward's way to go! Not strong enough to face their problems, so let others deal with the mess. Quite selfish really! 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Thank you for your reply . You are truely are a 'deep thinker ' not prone to witless "off the cuff comments' Please expand and share a little more of your wisdom with us. That way we can all benift from your experiences and knowledge. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Thank you for your reply . You are truely are a 'deep thinker ' not prone to witless "off the cuff comments' Please expand and share a little more of your wisdom with us. That way we can all benift from your experiences and knowledge. 

LESLIE
LESLIE from QLD commented:

we have two cars and house and contents ins through racq[gold membership].the deal you quote on line are nowhere near racq .the only thing we would miss on the deal is the flybyes points,we feel that cash in hand is more important than points.thanks fifty club but we are quite happy with racq. les and bet bris qld 

Jess - FiftyUp Club
Jess - FiftyUp Club from NSW replied to LESLIE:

Hi Leslie, If you're looking at the quotes online, be sure to click the red 'Apply for price beat guarantee' button after receiving your initial quotes. You could also give Coles Insurance a call on 1300 661 407 to get a quote over the phone. Jess 

Peter
Peter from NSW commented:

Cmon fifty up members, 2gb is raising money for drought stricken farmers. Lets all chip in some $$$$$. I,m sitting here in air conditioned comfort, and our farmers are shooting their cattle. Lets dig deep for these poor buggers. 

Someone
Someone from NSW replied to Peter:

I'm in. Can I pay at a bank as I only have EFTPOS, no credit cards? Can transfer to paypal if that can be used. 

Someone
Someone from QLD commented:

Thank you Robert 

Someone
Someone from QLD commented:

I would like to see a decent honest travelinsurance for people when they reach 70..The premiums that are charged now are outrageous. 

Olivia - FiftyUp Club
Olivia - FiftyUp Club from NSW commented:

Thank you for that feedback! 

Robert
Robert from QLD commented:

Hi: I am 76 and booked my last travel insurance through Worldcare Travel Insurance @Toowong (sales@worldcare.com.au) Benefits under their Plan A (totalof 19 benefits) were higher in 4 classes same in 16 and an additional sub benefit (Luggage & p/e delay expenses) over 72 hours was included. My premium (2 adults) was $337.75 for 21 days cruise to eastern mediterranean under Plan A Comprehensive Excess $100. This premium was considerably cheaper than other insurance company's chargef on our previous travels. 

Ron
Ron from QLD commented:

got a quote for car insurance, quoted $727.00 through fiftyup club, was $261.00 dearer than my current RACQ insurance. I get discounts for gold club member, 60% no claim, more than one vehicle and having multiple RACQ insurance policies. Will Coles insurance be able to offer simular discounts to match RACQ? 

Olivia - FiftyUp Club
Olivia - FiftyUp Club from NSW replied to Ron:

Hi Ron, give Coles a call on 1300 661 436 to get a quote over the phone. If you're eligible for the offer and are considered a safe driver by their terms then they will beat your current insurer by a minimum of $75. 

Robert
Robert from QLD replied to Ron:

Likewise Ron.Quoted $644(excess$700) reduced excess to current $600 with Suncorp new quote $774(which they say includes 15% flybuys discount plus 10% to save my rating 1.They would not accept my total annual premiun amount that I paid $545.43 SO i increased this figure by the 15% multiple policy discount to $624.95.Still would not accept my figure so I logged off.Waste of my time.I really doubt if they can match Suncorp figure. 

Olivia - FiftyUp Club
Olivia - FiftyUp Club from NSW replied to Ron:

My Apologies, Ron, the QLD number is 1300 661 407! 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Hard to make electricity companies happy. I pay a sum each fortnight to AGL and am happy with them. Now "just in case' I like to keep the money paid well in advance and with interest rates so low it is well worth the peace of mind At the age of sixty five I got my first New Fridge (an all fridge model) and ditched my latest second hand horror.Also purchased upright freezer and waited for my elec bill to soar.To my relief and disbelief all bills since then have been considerably lower.This means my supplier has quite a lot of my money in advance and I'm happy but they are not , wanting me to reduce payments. They have contacted me a couple of times over the years about my advance payments which make them unhappy. Now with all the defaults and late payers that must take up employees time and cost the company to deal with, Ishould be the least of thier worries. Infact if only half of their customer gave them interest free loans of a few hundred dollars they could earn considerable interest. Yep hard to make some companies happy. 

Olivia - FiftyUp Club
Olivia - FiftyUp Club from NSW commented:

Thanks for that feedback! It's always great to head people's stories and points of view. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Trevor, Had the same thing happen to me last year when I changed from AGL to Origin. Electricity took a couple of months to change over - got 15% off usage component last year off both Electricity & Gas. It took nearly 12 months to change over the Gas Bill!!! To change to Click Energy - comparing rates with only a 9% discount from Origin - savings were going to be about $65.00. My better half decided it wasn't worth the effort to change as it took forever to work out the bills with Origin when we first moved! It does pay to have as much info. as possible when doing a comparison. You then get a true result. 

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